County Clare

Liscannor Old paths in the Burren area blocked by farmers. We also have information of another case of the blocking of access in the Burren brought to our attention by an American tourist.

Aughinish a local landowner attempting to fence off a long-standing route beside Lough Derg.

The Cliffs of Moher Access to these well-known cliffs, which are on the Burren Way, is now severely restricted. Where once it was possible to walk considerable distances north and south, ugly fencing and hostile signs now block the way.

County Cork

Stoukeen Ridge and Duhallow Way south-west of Millstreet. This affects a large area to the east of Caherbarnagh, including Coomacheo and the saddle south of Kippagh Lough.

Sugar Loaf A walking route up the southern side of this spectacular mountain in West Cork, described in walking books as far back as 1978, and in a German language guide ‘Wanderwege in Irland’ in 1993 has been blocked off by the local landowner. Cork county council has taken no action in spite of protests.

Gougán Barra The Gougane Barra circuit is probably the most popular walk in West Cork, a high level route above a spectacular corrie lake and close to stern cliffs, the latter particularly prominent on the northern side. It first appeared in walking guides in the late ’70s and the last guide to be published was in 1999. There have never been access problems in this area.

However, while recently attempting to do the walk clockwise from the Church on the south side of the lake we encountered hostile notices (NO HILL WALKERS) and farther on, lines of closely spaced intimidating fences. It would appear that all the commonage has now been enclosed by these fences. At the north-eastern end of the circuit we encountered more barbed wire fences with NO TRESSPASSING and NO MALICIOUS DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY signs.

On reaching an ancient pilgrimage track to the Church in the valley floor, a padlocked gate with barbed wire on top was across this track. At this stage we decided to retreat and cross another high barbed wire fence (we had great difficulty with this fence but had no alternative), wade through a river and cross a field to the public road.

A particularly worrying feature of this problem is that it is very easy to reach this route at its centre point from the State-owned forestry area at the head of the corrie. Anyone doing so and heading clockwise around the remainder of the circuit would have to cross the high fences and a gate at the end of the circuit. If they could not do so they might be tempted to retreat and descend around the cliffs on the northern side of the valley. This could be hazardous since the cliffs are intermittent at the various levels. Baltimore Access to former public quay.

Three Castles Head

This popular walking area has been barred to walkers by intimidating signs claiming that the ruins on the headland are in a dangerous condition. While this may be true we consider is that what is needed is a disclaimer on the buildings themselves; the sign in its present location seems to be a convenient excuse to block access. This has been blocked off since 1998 at least.

Old Head of Kinsale

Day trippers and casual walkers can no longer walk the Old Head of Kinsale, a traditional “lung” since at least the 1870s for many people from the Cork area. The owners of the peninsula, a highly scenic area long enjoyed by the public, have blocked access to the entire Head. Their stance would have been much weaker had Cork Co Council included a walk around the Head in their development plan. There have been many major demonstrations by aggrieved locals and others, but the end result has been that the Supreme Court has upheld the landowners’ claim.

County Donegal

Bluestairs Mountains Lough Eske area (see letters page)

County Galway

Slyne Head Caorán Mór, just west of Connemara Golf Club

A large area around Slyne head has, for many years, been fenced off with threatening notices: PRIVATE PROPERTY TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED on a gate across what seems to be a public road along with a DANGER BEWARE OF THE BULL sign on the gatepost. There was no bull that we could see, no cattle, just sheep, and a horse. This is the only road down to the end of the peninsula, about 2km away. Just above the foreshore there is another sign NO ACCESS FOR PEDESTRIANS and beyond that lots of barbed wire fences that eventually succeeded in preventing us going any further. People are denied access to a large area and great views of Slyne Head and its two lighthouses. We could see a fine-looking beach beyond the barbed wire. There is also a holy well, Tobar Cháillín, and the saint’s “bed” which, according to Tim Robinson, “is visited by hundreds of Connemara people on the 13th November every year”, St. Cáillín being the patron of fishermen in particular. I wonder how they get in there?

Gleninagh Valley, Connemara

A beautiful valley, giving access to the Twelve Pins. According to Tim Robinson there is a Bronze Age stone alignment in the valley, we couldn’t find it.
We parked on the main road and cycled up the valley because we had heard that the landowner’s problem was with walkers blocking the road and gateways with their cars. There is a gate across what looks like a public road. We cycled, then walked up the valley, met various people who waved and said hello. When we got back down to the main road again a PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESPASSING sign that wasn’t there on our way in had been put up!
I was again told by a local man that the landowners didn’t really mind people going up the valley but that the problem was with badly parked cars. So why not put up a sign to that effect? This problem has been ongoing for more than ten years

Bunowen Castle, near Doon Hill, about 4km South West of Ballyconneely

A PRIVATE NO ADMITTANCE sign on the gate prevents access. We were told the landowner doesn’t want people climbing all over the castle because it’s in a dangerous condition, which is understandable, but why not put up a sign to say this instead of NO ADMITTANCE?

Renville Point, Oranmore

There is a good path, a “Slí na Sláinte” , down to the Point from the boat club, being used by hundreds of people the evening we were there, but after the point the path becomes overgrown and is then blocked at a PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESPASSING sign at the Galway Bay golf club wall. Some local people told us we could get round by the rocks if the tide was out but remarked that it was a pity the authorities hadn’t done the Slí na Sláinte path properly, it could easily follow the coastline back to Renmore and Galway city. The Country Club Hotel has been closed for several years, we were told.

County Kerry

Glaninchiquin The area at the end of this valley in the Béara peninsula is the starting point for a popular mountain walk, described in a Gill and Macmillan guide book as long ago as 1978. This area has been ‘developed’ by the owners who are over-punctilious about persons who wish only to gain access to the mountain area and have no interest in the ‘development’. The letter quoted here is from a distinguished historian and writer. Both the county council and South West Tourism took a serious view of this incident and promised to contact the owner, but we have heard nothing more.

The Three Sisters There is a magnificent stretch of sea cliffs in the very Northwest corner of the Dingle Peninsula in West Kerry which has been accessible to the public until recently. Aggressive and hostile signs specifically aimed at excluding walkers have been erected by farmers in the village of Smerwick and in the neighbouring villages of Fearran and Baile Uachtarach Thiar, where the golf course and Dún an Óir holiday complex are located. In the case of Smerwick, one sign was erected on a telephone pole on the public road leading into the village and another on a telephone pole at the end of the public road at the junction of two farm roads, one which provides access to open commonage leading to the cliffs of the Three Sisters Walk, i.e. the range of cliffs between Binn Diarmada and Sybil Head. In the other villages the signs are erected on farmland or on private roads accessing enclosed farmland covering all points of entry to the cliffs . In these villages access is possible only by crossing enclosed farmland and up to recently was permitted or at least condoned by the farmers.